


the new day dawns

by sportsnightnut



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 05:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16212377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sportsnightnut/pseuds/sportsnightnut
Summary: A typical Monday morning in the Mulder-Scully household.For leiascully's XF Writing Challenge prompt #36: school.





	the new day dawns

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song “All Will Be Well” by the Gabe Dixon Band.
> 
> I wrote this a while back because my soul needed something cheesy and fluffy and happy, and I thought all of you could use that, too. Sending love and light into the world. <3
> 
> (Posting my Tumblr fic on AO3 so I can have it all easily linkable in the same place. :) )

* * *

 

Mulder hums a cheesy tune under his breath as he rustles around in the fridge, looking for the turkey bacon. It’s the kind of tune he knows his son would make fun of him for listening to.

_Ugh, dad, are you listening to that smooth jazz station again?_

But it’s Monday, and he’s oddly cheerful for a Monday morning, so he keeps humming as he puts the bacon on the counter and begins searching for a skillet.

“Hi dad!” William bounds out to the kitchen, still dressed in his rocketship pajamas. He’s joyful and full of energy, despite the fact that it’s still early (and still Monday).

“Hey, champ!” Mulder greets his son, ruffling his hair. “How’d you sleep?”

“Good,” he answers, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “I think mama also slept really good. Well, she’s still sleeping. I didn’t wake her up.”

Mulder smiles. “We should let her sleep for a little while longer. But you can wake her up after you eat your breakfast, okay?”

“Okay!” he agrees cheerfully. “Can I help you make the coffee?”

“Of course,” Mulder replies. “Can you get the tablespoon out, like I showed you?”

William nods confidently, and retrieves the tablespoon from the appropriate drawer. He pulls his stool over to the counter and steps up, ready to assist. Mulder opens the bag of coffee and slides it across the counter. “Okay, pal. Six scoops.” He looks on as William carefully measures the coffee into the filter, and gives him a high five when he’s finished.

“What’s for breakfast?”

“It’s Monday, and you know what that means,” Mulder says, producing a pencil and notecard from a nearby drawer. “Cereal lineup time!”

William eagerly takes the pen and card from his father. “I’m ready!”

“All right. Batting first…last week’s MVP…Cocoa Puffs! Batting second…my personal favorite…Cap’n Crunch Berries!”

He smiles and watches William scribble it down. “Batting third…a classic…Cheerios! And helping him out, batting cleanup….Honey Nut Cheerios!”

“In the number five slot…Apple Cinnamon Chex! And batting sixth, a secret cereal we have to hide from your mom…Cookie Crisp!”

“Because it’s unhealthy?” William asks seriously.

“No, because she’ll eat it all and not leave us any!” Mulder answers, which makes William giggle.

“Number seven! Number seven!”

“Batting seventh…almost too healthy to taste good…Bite Size Frosted Mini-Wheats with Brown Sugar! And eighth, an oldie but a goodie…Rice Krispies!”

“And last, batting ninth, the cereal that no one in the whole wide world but your mom actually likes, Bran Flakes!”

William crinkles his nose, then studies the lineup carefully. “Can I please have Rice Krispies and Honey Nut Cheerios mixed together?”

Mulder nods his head as he turns on the burner for bacon. “Interesting choice, son.”

“What’s for lunch?”

Mulder laughs. “You haven’t even had breakfast yet and you’re wondering what I’m going to pack in your lunch?”

“Well, I know that you’re gonna ask me what I want on my sandwich, so…” William says matter-of-factly.

“You’re right, buddy. We’ve got turkey, roast beef, and ham, or any combination of the three.”

“Turkey!” he declares, as Mulder sets his cereal concoction in front of him.

“Cheddar, swiss, or provolone?”

“Cheddar, _of course_.”

“Veggie chips or honey wheat pretzels?”

This is a decision William has to ponder, so he shovels some cereal into his mouth before replying. “Pretzels, please!”

“And blueberries or raspberries for dessert?”

“Mixed?” he says uncertainly, not sure if it’s an option.

“Mixed it is,” Mulder assures him, and William smiles.

He finishes his cereal quickly (as most young boys do), before the bacon has finished cooking. “Want to go wake up your mom? I need to know what she wants on her sandwich.”

“Okay!” he agrees, jumps up from the table, and runs down the hall. He pauses, and knocks quietly, just like Mulder taught him. When he doesn’t hear his mom respond, he opens the door slowly and sees that she’s still sleeping. As he climbs into bed next to her, she stirs.

“Hi, pumpkin,” Scully says quietly, her voice coated in sleepiness, and pulls him close.

“Good morning, mama,” William says, matching the level of his voice to hers. “Daddy wants to know what you want on your sandwich.”

“Mmm, that’s a good question. I’m going to have to think about it. Did you finish your cereal?”

“Yes! Daddy mixed Rice Krispies and Honey Nut Cheerios together for me.”

Scully chuckles. “Was it good?”

“It was _delicious_ , mama,” he declares, as Scully places a kiss on top of his head. “And daddy told me I’m not supposed to tell you this cause he said you’d eat it all, but there is _Cookie Crisp_.” He whispers the last two words for emphasis.

She gasps “Oh, is there? And daddy told you not to tell me?”

“Yup.”

Scully gasps, feigning offense. “I can’t believe he would do that! What do you think I should do?”

“Tickle him?” William offers helpfully.

“Like this?” she asks, reaching for his belly.

“Mamaaaaaaaaaa!” William says, giggling uncontrollably. “I said tickle _daddy_ , not me.”

“Oh, right, right. Well. It smells like he’s making bacon. Should we go get some?”

“Yes!” he exclaims. “Please.”

William rolls back out of bed and runs back down the hall, too excited to wait for his mom. Scully greets Mulder with a kiss, and hears William whisper “ew” under his breath.

“Morning,” he says, smiling.

“So, what’s this I hear about Cookie Crisp?” Scully asks, winking at William.

It’s Mulder’s turn to gasp. “Did someone snitch on me?”

“No!” William insists, but can’t hold in his laughter. “Yes. I told mama about the Cookie Crisp.”

“He said I should tickle you,” Scully adds. “But I think you should tell me where you hid the cereal.”

Mulder points to the cabinet above the fridge, the one Scully will never be able to reach.

“Oh. Well. That _definitely_ deserves tickling,” she says, chasing after Mulder as he tries to escape the kitchen, spatula still in hand.

“There’s coffee,” Mulder says, hoping this will distract her.

“I helped!” William pipes up. “I scooped the coffee and pressed the button.”

“Good job, baby,” Scully says, bringing her coffee and creamer to the table. “Someday you’ll be able to do it all by yourself.”

“Someday,” he says wistfully.

“All right, buddy, here’s your bacon,” Mulder says, setting a small plate in front of William. “When you’re finished, you should get dressed for school.”

“Okay!” William says, practically inhaling the bacon. “Mama laid out my clothes for me. I get to wear my favorite shirt today.”

Mulder and Scully exchange a glance and a smile, knowing that there are actually several versions of their son’s favorite shirt (he just thinks it’s all the same one).

Before William leaves the kitchen, he accepts kisses on the cheek from both parents, and bounds back down to his room to get dressed.


End file.
